What city was the capital of the Russian state. Ancient Russia: the capital. What city was the capital of ancient Russia? Russian history. list of questions

1. On what territory was the Old Russian state created?

On the territory of modern Ukraine.

2. Who created the Old Russian state?

The Old Russian state was created as a result of the unification of a number of East Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes under the rule of the princes of the Rurik dynasty.

3. Which city became the capital Old Russian state?

The capital of the Old Russian state Kyiv.

4. When did Russia adopt Christianity?

Christianity was adopted in 988.

5. Under what prince did the baptism of Russia take place?

Baptism took place under Vladimir I

6. What is the religious symbol of Christianity?

The Christian symbol is the Orthodox cross.

7. What famous Orthodox churches were built in Ancient Russia?

Church of the Tithes, 3-domed five-aisled Saint Sophia Cathedral, churches of St. Irene and Great Martyr George, Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral of Chernihiv

8. From which state did Russia become dependent in the 13th century?

In the XIII century, Russia became dependent on the Golden Horde

9. Who was Alexander Nevsky?

Alexander Nevsky - the great Russian commander and defender of the Russian land.

Topic 2. Muscovy (XIV-XVII centuries)

1. When did the Battle of Kulikovo take place?

2. Who won the Battle of Kulikovo?

In the Battle of Kulikovo, Russia won under the leadership of Dmitry Donskoy.

3. Which city became the center of the unification of Russian lands?

The center of the unification of Russian lands is Moscow.

4. When did the Russian lands unite around Moscow?

Around Moscow, the Russian lands united in the middle of the 15th century.

5. In what year did the liberation of Russia from the Horde yoke (dependence) take place?

The date of the liberation of Russia from the Tatar-Mongol yoke is traditionally considered to be the year 1480 and associated given event with Standing on the Ugra.

6. What name in history did Tsar Ivan IV receive?

Ivan the Terrible.

7. What artist of the 15th century painted the famous Trinity icon?

Andrei Rublev.

8. What is the name of the architectural monument-fortress in Moscow, which was built as a symbol of the formation of a single Moscow state?

Moscow Kremlin.

9. In what century was the Time of Troubles in Russia?

Beginning of the seventeenth century.

10. When was Moscow liberated from the Polish army by the people's militia led by Minin and Pozharsky?

Moscow was liberated in October 1612.

11. What dynasty began to rule in Russia since 1613?

It has been noticed that, unfortunately, there is a lot of speculation on the topic “the capital of Russia”. For example, in Ukraine, the theory is supported that the main, historical and almost the only legitimate capital of Russia (meaning both the borders of the ancient Russian state and its modern “heirs”: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus) is exclusively Kyiv. There are various arguments for this, the main of which can be called, probably, two:

Kyiv is the original and original capital of Russia.
Kyiv has been the capital for a very long time.

Well ... Let's check at least elementary on Wikipedia:

Ladoga (862 - 864) - it's 2 years old.

Ladoga, which arose in the middle of the 8th century, is named the residence of Rurik in the Ipatiev list of The Tale of Bygone Years. According to this version, Rurik sat in Ladoga until 864, and only after that he founded Velikiy Novgorod.

Ladoga is not only one of the most ancient cities in Russia, it is also one of the most ancient Slavic outposts, which was constantly attacked by its northern neighbors. The fortress was burned, destroyed, but again and again rose from the ashes, putting up a barrier to the invaders. In the 9th century, the wooden walls of the Ladoga fortress were replaced with stone ones made of local limestone, and Ladoga became the first stone fortress in Russia.

Novgorod (862 - 882) is 20 years old.

According to other chronicles, Veliky Novgorod became the first capital of the Old Russian state.

Veliky Novgorod - one of the most ancient and famous Russian cities, was first mentioned in the Novgorod Chronicle under 859 in connection with the name legendary prince Rurik, who began advancing to Russia from Ladoga.

Already in the first centuries of its existence, Novgorod played important role in the events that took place on Russian soil, actually becoming the first capital of Russia. The location of Novgorod was so advantageous geographically (the city stood at the crossroads of waterways running from the Baltic from the north and west to the south and east) that by the middle of the 9th century it had become a major commercial, political and cultural center of the northwestern lands.

Novgorod did not remain the capital for long. In 882, Prince Oleg made a trip to Kyiv and moved the capital there. But even after the transfer of the princely residence to Kyiv, Novgorod did not lose its significance. Being in the zone of lively trade contacts with foreign countries, Novgorod was a kind of "window to Europe".

Photo: strana.ru

Kyiv (882 - 1243) - this is 361 years.

In 882, Rurik's successor, Prince Oleg the Prophet of Novgorod, captured Kyiv, which from that time became the capital of Russia. With the adoption of Christianity by Russia at the end of the 10th century, Kyiv became the residence of the Russian metropolitan.

The coincidence of the political and ecclesiastical center, combined with a long period of autocracy Kyiv princes led to the formation in Russia of a stable institution of the capital, which was not typical for most European countries that time.

In ancient Russian literature, the concept of the capital corresponded to the expressions “the oldest table” and the “capital city” and the epithet “first throne” that have retained their meaning to this day. Kyiv received the name "Mother of Russian Cities", which was a tracing paper with Greek word"metropolis" and likened the city to Constantinople.

Kyiv did not have its own princely dynasty, control over it was the subject of constant struggle, which, on the one hand, led to a steady decline in its real role, and on the other, made it an object around which the interests of all Russian lands intertwined.

Since 1169, when Andrei Bogolyubsky, having a recognized seniority, for the first time refused to take the Kyiv throne, the connection between the possession of Kyiv and the status of the most powerful prince became optional. In the subsequent time, the senior princes of Suzdal and Volyn preferred to transfer Kyiv to their minor relatives, while the Chernigov and Smolensk princes more often ruled personally. Nevertheless, the title of princes of "all Russia" continued to be attached to the princes who had ever visited Kyiv during their lives. Both in ancient Russian sources and in the eyes of foreigners, the city continued to be perceived as a capital.

Vladimir (1243 - 1389) is 146 years old.

Vladimir-on-Klyazma, founded in 1108 by Vladimir Monomakh, became the capital of North-Eastern Russia in 1157, when Prince Andrei Yurievich Bogolyubsky moved his residence here from Suzdal.

The recognition of seniority in the princely family, indeed, turned out to be divorced from the Kyiv table, but it was attached to the personality of the prince, and not to his city, and by no means always belonged to the Vladimir princes.

The time of maximum influence of the principality was the reign of Vsevolod Yurievich the Big Nest. His supremacy was recognized by the princes of all Russian lands, except for Chernigov and Polotsk, and henceforth the Vladimir princes began to be called "great".

Panorama of Vladimir - Golden Gate and Trinity Church Photo: bestmaps.ru

After Mongol invasion(1237-1240) all Russian lands were under the supreme power Mongol Empire, subordinate to its western wing - the Ulus of Jochi or the Golden Horde. And it was the Grand Dukes of Vladimir who were nominally recognized in the Horde as the oldest in all of Russia. In 1299, the metropolitan moved his residence to Vladimir. From the beginning In the 14th century, the princes of Vladimir began to bear the title of "great princes of all Russia."

Moscow 1. (1389 - 1712) is 323 years

Moscow was first mentioned in chronicles in 1147. In 1263, the youngest son of Alexander Nevsky, Daniil Alexandrovich, received Moscow as inheritance. Without claiming the great reign of Vladimir, he was able to significantly expand the territory of his principality at the expense of neighboring Smolensk and Ryazan volosts. This allowed Daniil to attract a large number of service people to his service, who formed the basis of a powerful Moscow boyars. In modern historiography, this factor is considered as the most important in the process of the successful rise of Moscow.

In 1325, the metropolitan moved to Moscow from Vladimir.

In 1547, Ivan IV took the title of king, and until 1712 Moscow became the capital of the kingdom - the Russian State.

St. Petersburg / Petrograd (1712 - 1918) is 206 years old.

In 1712, by the will of Peter I, the capital of Russia was moved to St. Petersburg, specially founded as a capital city.

Thus, Kyiv does not have the right to be called the “only correct” capital of Russia, neither by its originality nor by its duration, just like any other capital in the entire history of Russia.

The history of Ancient Russia is not only fascinating, but also full of mysteries. The formation of a huge state, which Russia has always been and remains, cannot take place without wars, confusion with rulers, unrest. This article tells about the capitals of our state, which carried this "title" long before Moscow and St. Petersburg.

A bit of history: who are the Slavs, and what is Russia

From the 4th century, the Slavs became participants in large-scale migrations of the population and gradually occupied the territories where they still live. Three branches stood out: southern Slavs (Serbs, Montenegrins), western (these are Czechs, Slovaks, Poles) and eastern (these are Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians). It is the history of the tribes that separated from the Eastern Slavs and began to unite in various unions, and then create the prototype of the state, and is usually called the "history of Ancient Russia."

It is believed that even before Rurik, a state called the Slavic Kaganate was formed on the land of the Slavic tribes. In 839, in the western chronicles, "ambassadors of the Khagan Ros" are mentioned, who arrived from the northeast. In 860, the Rus even make a campaign against Constantinople.

Two theories of statehood

"Norman". She claims that only with the help of newcomers (Rurik and his brothers) order and state system was established in Russia. That because of their inability, the Slavs turned to the "Varangians" for help. It became widespread when historians Bayer, later Miller, Schlozer and Karamzin began to operate in Russia.
"Anti-Norman". She points to the prerequisites for the emergence of the state before the appearance of Rurik. By the way, the "Slavic Khaganate" is very useful here. The main ideologists are Tatishchev and Lomonosov.

Staraya Ladoga - the capital of Ancient Russia

This settlement is located on the high bank of the Volkhov River, right on the great road "from the Varangians to the Greeks." When archaeologists excavated near Staraya Ladoga in 2015, they found sites of ancient people that can be dated as far back as the third millennium BC - and this is the Neolithic era. Probably, it was then that the first person settled in this territory.

The very first buildings that can already be attributed to the settlement are workshops for repairing ships, and they date back to 753. Most likely, they were built by immigrants from Northern Europe. According to archaeologists, the first settlement was founded by the Scandinavians. One of the finds of archaeologists is a hair comb from the Merovingian era (the first French dynasty of kings). The find dates back approximately to the 7th century.

In the VIII century, or rather in the 760s, this settlement was destroyed by one of the tribes of the early Slavic culture from the south-west (most likely: from the Dniester, Danube, from the upper reaches of the Dnieper or the Western Dvina). By the 9th century, Staraya Ladoga is already a Slavic settlement with a small population (about a hundred people), where trade routes pass, handicrafts, agriculture and trade exist. The inhabitants of Ladoga boiled beads - "eyes", which played the role of the first money. For "eyes" furs were bought up, which were then sold to Arab merchants who made their long journeys along the routes "from the Varangians to the Greeks" and "from the Varangians to the Arabs." As in many of the first cities of northwestern Russia, whether it was Izborsk, Pskov or Kamno, decorations were cast in Staraya Ladoga using limestone moulds. Unfortunately, internecine wars did not bypass the settlement, and Staraya Ladoga was destroyed more than once in the 8th-9th centuries.

The first fortress was built in the 870s. The development of Staraya Ladoga as a small craft town, typical of the north of Ancient Russia of that era, also belongs to the same period.

Main historical source- in the "Tale of Bygone Years" - it is said about Staraya Ladoga that it was she who was the first capital of Ancient Russia. It is believed that in 862, when the Varangian Rurik was called to rule in Russia, he originally "sat down to rule" in Staraya Ladoga. And only two years later he moved to Veliky Novgorod (then still just Novgorod, but about him - below). It is also believed that it is in Ladoga that the tomb of the Prophetic Oleg is located - the "Kurgan of Oleg", which is located near the Volkhov River.

Staraya Ladoga lost its city status in 1704, when the city of Novaya Ladoga was founded at the mouth of the Volkhov by decree of Peter the Great.

In 2003, the 1250th anniversary of Staraya Ladoga was celebrated on a grand scale. Vladimir Putin visited the city twice these days, and the event was also very actively covered by the press. The title of "the ancient capital of Russia" Staraya Ladoga, most likely, received not only exclusively historically, but also in contrast to Kyiv - "the mother city of Russians." Actually, like the "mound of Prophetic Oleg" - as a counterbalance to the version that Oleg's burial is located in Kyiv on Mount Shchekovitsa. Unfortunately, politics can manage history.

"Mr Veliky Novgorod"

The city has always been divided into two parts - Trade and Sofia, between them lies the Volkhov River. It is interesting that this is not just a geographical division, sometimes the tension between the inhabitants of the two parts reached such intensity that everything resulted in skirmishes on the bridge over the Volkhov. The city itself appeared at the turn of the 9th-10th centuries, although the first sites take us far into the Neolithic era, around the third millennium BC.

For the date when Novgorod officially arose, it is customary to take 859. Although the controversy continues to this day. Many scholars insist that Novgorod existed as a city before. If only because Gostomysl, the famous Novgorod elder, died in 859, which already shows the emergence of Novgorod as a city that also has an elder, even earlier than the named date.

Also, based on the data of archaeologists, since the 5th century, the so-called culture of the Novgorod hills has been formed - under this name, archaeological finds in the settlement of Gorodok-on-Mayate and others located in the Novgorod region are combined. All this shows that even until the middle of the 9th century, life was in full swing in those parts.

Arab historians call Novgorod (under the name al-Slaviya) one of the three centers of Ancient Russia in the 10th century. There are hypotheses that under this name they did not even mean Novgorod itself, but "Rurik's settlement" and the first settlements on the site of the future city. Also, Novgorod at the end of the 10th century is mentioned in the writings of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus. In the Scandinavian sagas, Novgorod is called "Holmgard - the capital of Gardariki", which can be translated as "Novgorod - the capital of Russia". By the way, "Gardarika" is translated as "country of cities", which indicates that by that time there were cities in Russia and there were many of them. There are also many versions in Russian chronicles. For example, in the "Tale of Bygone Years" the city was already there by the arrival of Rurik, that is, by 862. Less well-known chronicles say that only Rurik "cut down the city on the Volkhov River", founding the capital.

Rurik's successor was Oleg, who was later nicknamed "Prophetic". It was he who moved the capital from Novogorod to Kyiv in 882. Veliky Novgorod, despite the loss of the title of the capital, retained its authority for a very long time, was the only city of Ancient Russia that had autonomy (the period of the Novgorod Republic), was not always subordinate to Kyiv, and later to Moscow. And only in 1578 all the inhabitants of Veliky Novgorod took the oath of allegiance to the Moscow Prince Ivan the Third. The autonomy of Novgorod was abolished, the "veche bell" was removed from the bell tower and taken to Moscow. But outside the city, a proud name has been preserved, which is very often used when it comes to this city - "Lord Veliky Novgorod".

"Mother of Russian Cities", or "Metropolis" Kyiv

To begin with: why "the mother of Russian cities"? There is such a phrase in the "Tale of Bygone Years" about the events of 882. And it says something like this: "Oleg, the prince, sat down in Kyiv, and Oleg said: "May this be the mother of Russian cities." That is, the designation of Kyiv is taken straight from the annals. Why not the father then? There is a more scientific explanation for this.

It turns out that if translated from Greek, the word "metropolis" is the mother of cities. Why exactly from Greek? because Greek language- this is the language of Byzantium, at that time - a neighbor and, periodically, either a friend or an enemy of Russia. In order to “equalize” the significance of cities, and hence the significance of states, Kyiv, in the image of Constantinople (or Tsargrad, remember the fairy tales?), Began to be called the “metropolis”. And if in Russian - "the mother of cities." And now a little history.

Archaeological excavations show that the first settlements on the site of Kyiv were already about fifteen to twenty thousand years ago. And the city itself, according to legend, was founded by the legendary brothers Kiy, Khoriv and Shchek and was named after their elder brother. It is believed that already in the 6th-7th centuries, the settlement on the right bank of the Dnieper could be considered a city. It was on this basis that in 1982 they celebrated the 1500th anniversary of Kyiv. Although many historians argue that the formation of Kyiv as a city took place later - in the VIII-X centuries.

At the end of the 9th century, Askold and Dir, Rurik's combatants, ruled in Kyiv. As many people know from the legends, in 882, Prince Oleg, having shown little Igor to the Kyiv people crowded near the Dnieper, killed Askold and Dir as "not a princely family", declaring that Igor was a princely family and would rule after him. It was from this year that Kyiv became the capital of Ancient Russia (or Kievan Rus, as historians would later call this period).

During the period of feudal fragmentation, which began after the death of Vladimir Monomakh and his son Mstislav the Great (in 1132), Kyiv retained power only formally, because each separated principality considered itself independent and had its own capital. In 1169, the Prince of Vladimir Andrei Boglyubsky sacked Kyiv, and a little later (in 1203) the Smolensk prince Rurik Rostislavovich attacked the capital. This greatly weakened Kyiv before the Mongol invasion, and in 1240 Kyiv was sacked by the "Horde". The principality of Kiev was later nominally called "Great Russian", but it became entirely dependent on the Horde.

In 1243, the Vladimir prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich received a label for a great reign from the Horde, who preferred to leave his "headquarters" in Vladimir. From that moment on, Kyiv, although significant historically, has no political significance. Later Lithuania will conquer it, then the Commonwealth, and only in late XVII century, he will again return to Russia - already the Empire.

The Capital of Ancient Russia Vladimir, or Nominal Capital

It was founded in 1108 by Vladimir Monomakh. Vladimir was the capital of our state for a little over a century, starting in 1243, but of great importance didn't have. main reason- this is the dependence of the Russian princes on the will of the "Horde". Of course, nominally Vladimir was the capital, and in 1299 the metropolitan even moved his headquarters here. Orthodox Church, and from the beginning of the XIV century, the princes of Vladimir began to bear the title of "great princes of all Russia." But gradually a trend was born: if the prince was not appointed to the throne from Vladimir, then he was only crowned in Vladimir, as in the capital, and then returned to his ancestral city. The last person to be crowned in this way was Vasily the First in 1389. Vasily II, who followed him, was already crowned in Moscow. For a long time, Vladimir was referred to as a "grand princely city", but became simply a provincial center.

Since 1389, the title of "the capital of Ancient Russia", or rather, Moscow Russia, has been transferred to Moscow. A completely different story begins.

Reference number one

As one of the most interesting sources on this topic, you can use the wonderful book by E. Nelidova. For the first time it comes out at the beginning of the 20th century under the title "Rus in its capitals". Now the book has been published again and is called "The Four Capitals of Ancient Russia. Staraya Ladoga, Veliky Novgorod, Kyiv, Vladimir. Legends and Monuments." The book is written in a very lively popular science language and is provided with many illustrations, some of which are from pre-revolutionary times.

In 1862, a monument called "The Millennium of Russia" was unveiled in Novgorod (pictured below). Among the many domestic statesmen, writers, princes, historians, there is no such figure as Ivan the Terrible. It is believed that this is revenge for the pogrom that Grozny perpetrated in Novgorod in 1569-70.

In the vicinity of Staraya Ladoga, in addition to "Oleg's grave", there is also the burial place of Rurik. It is believed that the body lies in one of the many underground passages under the old part of the settlement.

In many educational and popular science materials, the idea is widespread that Kyiv became the capital in 882, after the city was captured by Prince Oleg. This statement, as a rule, is based on a story from the Tale of Bygone Years, which, under the year 882, says: “And Oleg the prince in Kyiv, and Oleg said: behold the mother of the Russian city.” At first glance, everything is obvious, but the latest research by specialists in the history of Ancient Russia shows that the formation of ideas about Kyiv as the capital was a much more complex and lengthy process.

Examples of using

In 882, Rurik's successor, the Novgorod prince Oleg the Prophetic, captured Kyiv, which from that time became the capital of Russia.. (Wikipedia, Capitals of Russia)

In 882, Kyiv became the capital of Russia and since then has received the honorary title of "mother of Russian cities". (Material on the site "Because. Ru")

V.M. Vasnetsov. Baptism of Russia. 1885-1896.

Reality

Enough detailed analysis how ideas about Kyiv as the capital were formed was given in his article “Was there a capital in Ancient Russia” by A.V. Nazarenko.

The term "capital" itself, the researcher writes, Old Russian not fixed. Its analogue, "table", or "capital city" is known. However, the "table" was not only Kyiv, but also whole line other cities of Russia, which were owned by representatives of the ancient Russian princely family, for example, Novgorod. Kyiv, being the capital, should at least be distinguished by some specific definition, or even be called something else.

Such epithets do appear in the sources, but only in the 11th-12th centuries. One of them, the “oldest city”, is recorded in The Tale of Bygone Years, in the story of the events of 1096: about the invitation of the Kyiv prince Svyatopolk Izyaslavovich and Pereyaslavsky, Vladimir Vsevolodovich (Monomakh), their cousin Oleg Svyatoslavovich, to Kyiv, for conclusion contracts. In another text, the "Word for the Renewal of the Church of the Tithes", dating from the middle of the 12th century, Kyiv is called "the elders in the cities", the Kyiv prince - "the elders in the princes", and the local metropolitan - "the elders in the saints".

Another definition, the very “mother of cities”, is a direct copy from the Greek mHtropolis, from one of the epithets of Constantinople, and is used to “equalize” the status of Kyiv with Constantinople, Nazarenko notes. According to him, this expression is no longer so common; in addition to the chronicle story about the capture of Kyiv by Oleg, only its use in the memorial service of consecration in 1051/3 of the church of St. George in Kyiv attracts attention; here the city is also called "the capital city".

The concept of the all-Russian capital was formed in the XI-XIII centuries, the author of the article notes. In itself, the idea of a single, main "capital city", according to A.V. Nazarenko, organically belongs to the complex of imperial political ideas; attempts to form and implement it have been repeatedly made in the Western, Latin world. Plans for the construction of a single capital were repeatedly undertaken by the Frankish, and later by the German rulers, he writes. So, Charlemagne tried to create a national center parallel to Rome with elements of sacralization in Aachen. Otto III tried to embody the same, essentially "Rome-centric" idea, when he tried to organize an empire with a center in Rome according to the late antique model. Frederick I Barbarossa was also an apologist for the empire ruled from Rome. However, a number of such important factors as the fragmentation of the feudal period, political and ecclesiastical polycentricity (as well as the opposition of these centers) prevented this idea from being realized in the West.

In Russia, where such a concept could have developed based on the Constantinople, and not on the Roman model, its formation was significantly facilitated by the era of the autocracy of St. Vladimir and Yaroslav the Wise, during which a fairly developed metropolitan ideological complex managed to take shape around Kyiv, which contributed, according to A. AT. Nazarenko, further, more distinct crystallization of the idea of eldership of Kyiv. In addition, the researcher notes that the fundamental connection that existed between the church-administrative unity of the country and the idea of the political sovereignty of its ruler, made the presence of the all-Russian Kyiv Metropolis the most important prerequisite for the formation of the idea of the state unity of Russia and its preservation in the conditions of political particularism, which, in turn, , stabilized the idea of Kyiv as the capital of Russia as a whole. All together, this formed a strong ideological complex, which determined the amazing historical survival of the idea and feeling of all-Russian unity, concludes A.V. Nazarenko.

Sources and literature

Nazarenko A.V. Was there a capital in Ancient Russia? Some comparative historical and terminological observations // A.V. Nazarenko. Ancient Russia and the Slavs (Historical and Philological Studies). Ancient Russia and the Slavs (Ancient States of Eastern Europe, 2007). M., 2009. S. 103-113.

If anyone knows which city's coat of arms is depicted in this illustration,

let him sit silently with a bored look, or read the post further. Suddenly, too, from a well-forgotten old, he will discover something new.
And if a descendant of proud ukrov pays attention to this post, then this,
all the more necessary to sit and delve into what is written below ..

Last weekend the birthdays of the cities of Moscow and Tula were celebrated. I drew attention to the fact that my native Tula turns out to be a year older than Moscow. In this regard, I wanted to know how the oldest cities in our country. I must say that Tula and Moscow were not among the ten oldest.

10. Ryazan. Population: 532,772

Ryazan opens our Top of the most ancient cities in the country. The name of the city comes from the territory of the principality, which at the beginning of the 11th century was located on the right bank of the Oka. Tourism in Ryazan is widely developed, because the land on which it is built is ancient territory Russia. There is something to see here: St. John the Theologian Monastery, Trinity Monastery, Ryazan Historical Museum-Reserve and much more.

9. Yaroslavl. Population: 603,961

One of the oldest cities in Russia dates back to 1010. In the past, Yaroslavl proudly bore the title of "the city of a hundred churches." Now there are only thirty left. You can see all the churches in one day. Many old cathedrals and architectural monuments have been preserved in Yaroslavl, which is not surprising, because it is part of the Golden Ring of Russia. The most important attraction in the historical center of the city is the Transfiguration Cathedral (not to be confused with the monastery of the same name), built in 1516.

8. Kazan. Population: 1,205,651

Kazan was founded in 1005 as an outpost on the border of the Volga Bulgaria. One of the most ancient cities in Russia has a centuries-old rich history and a unique cultural and historical heritage. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. One of the main attractions in the city is the Kazan Kremlin, built of white brick. And the Kul Sharif mosque is considered the main symbol of the Republic of Tatarstan.

7. Vladimir. Population: 362,581

The city-museum was founded in 990. It is one of the most ancient in the country, it is included in the Golden Ring of Russia. They say about Vladimir: "even the city's hospitals, shops and pharmacies are architectural monuments built by our ancestors." And there is no exaggeration in this description. Many houses in the city are over 300 years old. And the world-famous Golden Gate, Assumption and Dmitrievsky Cathedrals are included in the UNESCO list.

6. Murom. Population: 110,746 people

The first mention of Murom slips in The Tale of Bygone Years. It was from this ancient source that it was possible to establish the origin of the name of the city. In ancient times, one of the tribes of Finno-Ugric origin, called Muroms, lived on this territory. Prince Vladimir in 988 gave the city to his son Gleb. It was he who became the first ruler of Murom. It will be interesting for tourists to look at the Transfiguration Monastery, which is the oldest in the country.

5. Suzdal. Population: 9978 people

There are several references to this city in ancient sources. One dates back to 1024. It describes the uprising of the Magi. The second, in the year 999, which says that Suzdal was founded as a result of the merger of several settlements. Currently, one of the oldest cities is part of the Golden Ring of Russia. On its territory there is a huge number of monuments, which have no equal anywhere in the country.

4. Smolensk. Population: 330,049 people

The hero city was first mentioned in 946 in the Tale of Bygone Years as a settlement of the Krivichi tribe. And twenty years later, Prince Oleg captured Smolensk and annexed it to Ancient Russia. He made his son Igor the prince of the city, but he, due to his infancy, could not perform managerial functions, so Smolensk was controlled from Kyiv. Of the main attractions of the ancient city of Russia, it is worth noting the Borisoglebsky Monastery, the Church of St. John the Evangelist, and the Assumption Cathedral.

3. Veliky Novgorod. Population: 221,954
This ancient city was built in 859. It can rightfully be called unique, because such architectural monuments cannot be found in any other city in the world. And the atmosphere of Novgorod, which received bronze in the rating of the oldest cities in the country, cannot be confused with anything. This is due to the fact that the city was built on the site where many important events Russia. Tourists should look at the main attraction of Veliky Novgorod - St. Sophia Cathedral. It is often called the religious center of the country. And the Novgorod Kremlin is one of the most beautiful buildings in the country.

2. Staraya Ladoga. Population: 2012 people

Staraya Ladoga, which took second place in the ranking of the oldest cities in Russia, was founded in 753. But historical evidence shows that even before the founding of the city, people lived here. It is interesting that the first prince of Ancient Russia - Rurik, was a native of Staraya Ladoga. Since the city was close to the territories of hostile states, it was the first outpost on the way of foreigners. It has been destroyed and rebuilt many times. The wooden fortress of Staraya Ladoga was replaced with a stone one in the 9th century, which allowed it to become the first fortress in the country made of this material.

1. Derbent. Population: 121,251

Derbent is rightfully considered the oldest city in Russia. After all, its history goes back as much as 5,000 years! It was founded when Ancient Russia did not yet exist in the project. The earliest references to the city date back to sources from the 6th century BC. But then it was called the Caspian Gates. Part Russian Empire Derbent entered only in 1813, after an armistice agreement was signed with Persia. With such a long history, it would be surprising if the city did not have ancient monuments. Of the most famous: the Juma mosque built in the 8th century, and the Naryn-Kala fortress, 2500 years old.

Well, I think those who did not know already guessed that the illustration for this post depicts the coat of arms of the city...

I don’t know from what buoys the descendants of the Jupiterian dolphins, which in our centuries settled Kyiv and its environs, decided to appropriate the image of the capital of ancient Russia - Ladoga.
And why Kyiv is considered the mother of Russian cities. Indeed, in fact, it became the capital only the third in a row.

Now about the capitals of Russia

Kyiv is the original and original capital of Russia.

Kyiv has been the capital for a very long time.

Well...

1. Ladoga (862 - 864)— it's 2 years old.

2. Novgorod (862 - 882) is 20 years old.

According to other chronicles, Veliky Novgorod became the first capital of the Old Russian state.

Veliky Novgorod - one of the most ancient and famous Russian cities, was first mentioned in the Novgorod Chronicle under 859 in connection with the name of the legendary Prince Rurik, who began advancing to Russia from Ladoga.

Already in the first centuries of its existence, Novgorod played an important role in the events that took place on Russian soil, in fact, becoming the first capital of Russia. The location of Novgorod was so advantageous geographically (the city stood at the crossroads of waterways running from the Baltic from the north and west to the south and east) that by the middle of the 9th century it had become a major commercial, political and cultural center of the northwestern lands.

Novgorod did not remain the capital for long. In 882, Prince Oleg made a trip to Kyiv and moved the capital there. But even after the transfer of the princely residence to Kyiv, Novgorod did not lose its significance. Being in the zone of lively trade contacts with foreign countries, Novgorod was a kind of "window to Europe".

3. Kyiv (882 - 1243)— this is 361 years.

The coincidence of the political and ecclesiastical center, combined with a long period of autocracy of the Kyiv princes, led to the formation of a stable institution of the capital in Russia, which was not typical for most European countries of that time.

In ancient Russian literature, the concept of the capital corresponded to the expressions “the oldest table” and the “capital city” and the epithet “first throne” that have retained their meaning to this day. Kyiv received the name "Mother of Russian Cities", which was a tracing-paper from the Greek word "metropolis" and likened the city to Constantinople.

In 1240, Kyiv was destroyed by the Mongols and fell into decay for a long time. The fight for him is over. The Grand Dukes of Vladimir Yaroslav Vsevolodovich (1243) and Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky (1249) were recognized as the oldest in Russia, and Kyiv was transferred to them. However, they preferred to leave Vladimir as their residence.
After the Mongol (and then Lithuanian) invasion, there was a mass migration of the Russian population from Kyiv and nearby lands to the undeveloped and infertile lands of Zalesye (a section of Vladimir-Suzdal Rus), where the Tatars rarely reached. In fact, the Russians (not all, of course, but those who had the will and strength to do so) left the captured Kyiv and created a new state from scratch, and Moscow turned from a princely hunting lodge into its capital in a hundred years. Therefore, by the way, according to relatively recent studies, the current Great Russians and Turkic peoples no common genes
In the next era, until the conquest of Kyiv by Lithuania (1362), it was ruled by provincial princes who did not claim all-Russian supremacy.

4. Vladimir (1243 - 1389) is 146 years old.

Vladimir-on-Klyazma, founded in 1108 by Vladimir Monomakh, became the capital of North-Eastern Russia in 1157, when Prince Andrei Yurievich Bogolyubsky moved his residence here from Suzdal.

Panorama of Vladimir - Golden Gate and Trinity Church Photo: bestmaps.ru

After the Mongol invasion (1237-1240), all Russian lands came under the supreme authority of the Mongol Empire, subordinate to its western wing - the Ulus of Jochi or the Golden Horde. And it was the Grand Dukes of Vladimir who were nominally recognized in the Horde as the oldest in all of Russia. In 1299, the metropolitan moved his residence to Vladimir. From the beginning In the 14th century, the princes of Vladimir began to bear the title of "great princes of all Russia."

5. Moscow (1389 - 1712) + (1918— n. c.) = 421

In 1325, the metropolitan moved to Moscow from Vladimir.

In 1547, Ivan IV assumed the royal title, and until 1712 Moscow became the capital of the kingdom - the Russian State.

6. St. Petersburg / Petrograd (1712 - 1918) is 206 years old.

In 1712, by the will of Peter I, the capital of Russia was moved to St. Petersburg, specially founded as a capital city.

Thus, Kyiv does not have the right to be called the “only correct” capital of Russia, neither by its originality nor by its duration, just like any other capital in the entire history of Russia.